The morphology of the species is fairly constant over a wide range of habitat conditions and over a wide geographical area.
Its morphology is affected by physical damage due to grazing by animals and loss of the apical region on reproduction, both instances are followed by regeneration and proliferation of branches.
Cladophora rupestris sometimes forms an almost complete cover of stunted growth at high tide level and occasionally in the splash zone where pools are brackish.
Filaments are short and branching dense in the most wave exposed locations (Burrows, 1991).